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Robert Underdown (1755-1811)
Baptism Robert Underdown was born in 1754 and was baptised on the 1st January 1755 in Northleigh to parents Thomas and Joan Underdown (nee Cox). Robert was their 3rd child and eldest son. His older siblings were Sarah and Jane. Siblings Robert was the eldest son in a family of 18 siblings. As a result, he is likely to have assumed a leadership role in the family from an early age. Like his older sister Sarah (who was the oldest daughter and eldest child), he appears to have taken the role seriously and, as a result, never married or had a family of his own. He was almost 21 years old when his youngest sibling, Anna, was christened on the 27th November 1775. Freeholder In the Devon Freeholders book for 1780, Robert is recorded in the parish of Northleigh. It is unknown whether he was given this land from his father (who was still alive at this time) or whether he purchased the land himself. Death of eldest sister Robert’s eldest sister Sarah died and was buried on the 15th August 1783. His other older sibling, Jane, had married only four months before. It is interesting to think how Robert responded to this death and marriage, as Sarah and Jane would have shouldered much of the burden of looking after the younger siblings of the family. Their departure would have meant that the leadership role Robert had assumed in the family would have increased dramatically. Hundred Constable In the Devon Freeholders book for 1783, Robert is listed as the hundred constable for Northleigh. A parish constable was a law enforcement officer, usually unpaid and part-time, serving a parish. There were two Constable posts, one was the High Constable and the other the Petty Constable. The High Constable's jurisdiction covered the entire administrative area known as the Hundred and acted as the assistant to the county Lieutenant. He had a special responsibility for raising the muster when ordered by the Crown. The Petty Constable operated at the parish level serving a one-year unpaid term. The duties were varied and included the collection of taxes and rates, arresting suspects, catching escaped prisoners, dealing with church non-attendance, evicting vagrants from the parish, compiling juror lists, overseeing the parish militia and many others. Much of his work was written up in the constable accounts which were kept in the parish chest. The positions eventually disappeared when the Country Police were introduced in 1839. Witness to brother’s marriage Robert, the eldest brother of the family, was witness to the marriage of his youngest brother, Emanuel, in January 1795. Death of Parents Robert’s father Thomas died in April 1795 and was buried in Northleigh. According to the will of his brother Samuel, Robert inherited a plot of land from his father upon his death. This plot was located in the parish of Offwell, and could have well been land that was originally belonged to his grandmother Grace. Robert’s mother died the following year in 1796. Land Tax Exemption Records The Land Tax Redemption Records for 1798 record Robert as an occupier of land held by the Prideaux family at Southleigh. At the same time, his brothers Samuel and Emanuel occupy land owned by Robert himself at Southleigh. Robert was also a tenant of land belonging to the Rev. William Tucker in the parish of Offwell, and the entry stated that part of this sum was charged for an overland tenement called “Coombe”. Northleigh Farm Robert is recorded in the Devon Freeholders book again in Northleigh for the year 1799. Robert purchased land in the parish of Northleigh and called it “Northleigh Farm”. Exactly when this purchase was made is unknown, but the piece of land was extensive and came to be referred to as the manor of Northleigh. It is assumed to be between his parent’s death and the year 1806 The amount for the purchase was five thousand and seven hundred pounds. Robert did not pay for the entire amount at purchase, and only paid part of the sum. How much this was is also unknown at this time. According to Trewman’s Exeter Flying Post for 11/9/1806, Robert Underdown, gentleman of Northleigh, had a game certificate issued. The reference to ‘gentleman’ appear to indicate that Robert was in possession of the manor of Northleigh at this time. East Devon Local Militia In the London Gazette issue 16334 published on 16/1/1810, Robert is recorded as becoming a lieutenant in the East Devon Local Militia on 24/9/1808. The Militia Act of 1757 established militia regiments for each county and required each parish to provide a number of able-bodied men, aged between 18 and 50 (reduced to 45 in 1762) for military training. Militia regiments served in Britain or Ireland but not overseas. Men had to serve for three years (for five years after 1786). In peacetime the men spent just a few weeks at a military camp. During the French wars of 1793-1815, some other auxiliary troops, known as yeomanry (which were cavalry), volunteers or fencible infantry or cavalry were raised in each county. Letting of Property According to the Exeter Flying Post, dated 1/11/1810, Robert advertised a tenement called ‘Lambrook’ in Farway to be let for a term of 7-14 years. The property was about 32 acres and occupied by Henry Bishop. Death Robert died on the 2nd April 1811, aged 57 years. He was buried in the Northleigh church yard on 10th April 1811. His cause of death is currently unknown. Robert’s death was reported in a newspaper on 18/4/1811. His age was given as 58 as he was recorded as the captain of the East Devon Local Militia. His brothers Benjamin Underdown and Emmanuel Underdown were listed as his executors. A will for him has not been located. Property Sale Robert had not completely paid for the purchase of the Northleigh Farm property at the time of his death, and as a result, had substantial debt. In his brother Samuel’s will which was written in 1811, Samuel states that he contracted his brothers Benjamin and Emanuel as trustees of the Northleigh Farm, indicating that Robert had left his estate to Samuel. Samuel would die only one year after his brother, so he was now contracting his brothers Benjamin and Emanuel to sell the property to cover the costs of its purchase. This arrangement would have long lasting effects, particularly on the life of brother Benjamin. The sales of the property was first advertised in the newspaper on 3/10/1811. The property still had not sold by the time of 21/10/1819, when a large advert began to appear in the Exeter Flying Post and Exeter and Plymouth Gazette. The article is interesting in that it names all the occupiers on the property. A majority of them are relatives of the family, either direct or more distant. Relatives include – Richard, James, George and Elizabeth Mutter (possibly cousins through Robert’s aunt Grace), Benjamin Underdown (Robert’s brother), William Priddle (Robert’s cousin). William White (Robert’s brother-in-law through sister Jane), John Langford (Robert’s cousin) and Emanuel Underdown (Robert’s brother). It is as though Robert had purchased the property to somehow maintain and look after his big extended family, but the plan backfired in that he had been unable to pay for the purchase. Articles published in the Exeter & Plymouth Gazette on 04/06/1836, 11/6/1836 & 18/6/1836 indicate that the property did not sell and that Benjamin and Emmanuel were still trying to get rid of it many years later. Memorial A marble tablet was later placed in the local Northleigh parish church as a memorial to Robert. The laying of this tablet was recorded in a local newspaper, and I believe it had been commissioned by his nephew, Robert, son of his brother Samuel, who bore the same name.